Johnson and Johnson IBOT Medicare And The Power Mobility Industry

Here is the latest (from Bloomberg) in the power wheelchair struggle; seeking to gain consensus between the CMS Medicare, manufacturers and consumers.

Bloomberg.com: Politics
July 18 (Bloomberg) — Johnson & Johnson, the world’s biggest maker of medical equipment, and about 70 nonprofit groups are fighting the U.S. Medicare program over a proposed coverage limit for a wheelchair that can climb stairs, curbs and even traverse gravel and sand.

Not only is Johnson and Johnson trying to get reimbursement approval for this revolution in medical mobility but so are hundreds of consumers (organizations).

This comes at a time where the very process of obtaining power wheelchairs through Medicare is being challenged with new rules (once again) having been published in the last two weeks. There are of course reasons for this but this is not the subject at hand.

What is true (my opinion) is that in the past the mobility industry, either through lack of insight into what constitutes all the stakeholders - at best - or at worst through egotistical, bloody minded competition, neglected to address the needs of their biggest customer - CMS. This is now changing - at least superficially - with industry groups having been formed to address the situation specifically.

The IBOT from Johnson and Johnson represents several challenges - not least of which is with industry where companies like Invacare have objected to the special classification of reimbursement of the IBOT.

The fact (OK, my opinion) is that the IBOT would represent a huge step forward in terms of patient mobility and would be great, not only for consumers but also for industry in general. It is a product that would add significant value to an industry trying desperately to distance itself from the rapid trend to the low end (price and consumer utility) crowded commodity segment of the business.

Is industry up to the challenge…

If this is of interest to you you may also want to read:

(Why) Would You Invest In The Homecare Industry

and

Return Of The (Homecare) Vikings which describes how investing in the value added end of power mobility seems to pay off!